This invention is directed toward a display unit. The invention is more particularly directed toward a display unit of the type having one or more arms from which a plurality of articles to be displayed are hung.
The invention is also directed toward a display stand. The display stand is of the type having two or more support posts on a base for holding display units for supporting articles to be displayed and for supporting accessories.
The invention is further directed toward the combination of the display stand and the display unit
Known display units employ at least one arm that is mounted to extend horizontally from a vertical support such as a wall. The arm normally extends transversely to the wall. The articles to be displayed are all hung from their top end on the arm one behind the other. The arrangement however makes it difficult to determine how many articles are on the arm making inventory control difficult, particularly when there is another arm adjacent and parallel to the one arm. The arrangement also displays only one article at a time and if the articles differ, such as to color, it is difficult for the consumer to see the different colors. Further, with only the article at the front fully displayed, the known display unit does not provide a very attractive display.
It is also known to provide a display unit where one arm angles downwardly from a vertical support such as a wall, the arm extending transverse from the wall. The one arm has spaced apart stops on its top surface along its length to hold articles on the arm in spaced apart relation. This display unit vertically staggers the articles held making inventory control easier, and displaying more of the articles. However the display unit still does not display much of the articles and is not too attractive.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a display unit that displays the articles in a more attractive manner. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a display unit that makes inventory control easier. It is a further purpose of the present invention to display more of each of the articles carried on the unit making it easier for the consumer to make a choice. It is a further purpose to provide a basic, novel, display unit, two or more of which can be combined in various ways to provide larger display units to display articles in different settings in more attractive ways.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a display unit having a single, straight, leg. The leg is in the form of a rigid bar and has a plurality of parallel hanger arms extending therefrom. The hanger arms extend in the same direction from one side of the leg, are equally spaced apart, and are parallel to each other. The hanger arms extend at an angle xcfx86 to the side of the leg section. This angle xcfx86 can be a right angle but preferably is an acute angle and more preferably is 45xc2x0. Each hanger arm has at least one article carrying member extending transversely therefrom for carrying at least one generally flat article generally parallel to the arm. The hanger arms on the display unit can be detachably mounted on the leg so that their size and/or number can be changed and so that the spacing between the hanger arms can be changed.
In one embodiment, the display unit has a base at one end of the leg that comprises a short bar. The base is attached at one end to the end of the leg and extends parallel to the hanger arms. The base extends from the bar in the same direction as the hanger arms. The leg is attached to the base in a such a manner so that when the base is horizontal with a long side facing front, the leg extends outwardly at an angle xcex2 to the base, which angle is complementary to the angle xcfx86 at which the hanger arms extend from the leg. The leg also extends downwardly at an angle to the base when viewed from the front. If the leg is attached to the left side of the base when viewed from the front the leg normally extends outwardly and downwardly to the left. If the leg is attached to the right side of the base when viewed from the front, the leg normally extends outwardly and downwardly to the right. You therefore can have left or right handed, single-leg, display units.
The single-leg display unit is normally mounted on a flat vertical surface via the base with the base flat against the surface and horizontal. The display unit displays the articles in both vertically and laterally stepped relationship. Thus the unit displays the top portion and a side portion of each article on the unit. The arrangement makes it easier to see the colors and/or styles of the articles displayed. It also makes it easier to see how many articles are left on display. The staggered display makes it easier for the storekeeper to restock the display unit. And the staggered display presents the articles more attractively and thus more likely to sell.
The single-leg display unit could also be mounted in an inner corner, with the base mounted on one wall surface forming the corner, the leg extending across the corner at an angle to have its bottom end contact, or even be attached, to the other wall surface forming the corner.
While the single-leg display unit has been described with the base extending in the same direction as the hanger arms and parallel to them, the base could also extend in the opposite direction to the hanger arms but still be parallel to them.
In another embodiment, the base could be aligned with the leg but bent relative to the leg to extend vertically down instead of horizontally. The bent base can be mounted on a vertical post to mount the display unit on a post.
A number of single-leg display units can be employed in various combinations to provide different shapes of larger display units that display articles in attractive groupings in the same staggered relationship as displayed by a single-leg display unit. For example, a left hand, single-leg, display unit can be combined with a right hand, single-leg, display unit to form a diverging, two-leg, display unit. The two bases of the two, single-leg display units can be combined into one common base for the two-leg display unit. In this diverging, two-leg, display unit the two legs lie in the same plane, are spaced from each other, and diverge from each other, extending downwardly and outwardly from the common base when it is horizontal. The hanger arms on the two legs extend inwardly toward each other. This display unit is again normally mounted by its common base on a flat vertical surface with the base flat against the surface and horizontal. In another example, one right hand, single-leg display unit can be combined with a second left hand, single-leg display unit in back-to-back relationship, the hanger arms on both legs extending away from each other and at an angle to each other. Preferably, in this two-leg, back-to-back, display unit, the two single legs are combined into one common leg with the hanger arms on opposite sides extending in opposite directions from each other. This display unit, provided the angle xcex2 is 135xc2x0, can be mounted on an outer corner with one base on one wall surface forming the corner and the other base on the other wall surface forming the corner.
The diverging two-leg, display unit can be combined with a second diverging two-leg display unit to from a four-leg display unit provided the angle xcex2 is 135xc2x0. The adjacent legs of the two, two-leg units are joined together by suitable means with the bases of the two units at right angles to each other. This four-leg display unit is mounted to a wall surface by the other two legs which are aligned. Two such four-leg display units, each the same size, could be combined to extend about, and be mounted on, a square support. This is provided the base of each unit is as long as the width of the support. The two-leg, back-to-back, display unit can be mounted with the bases, or a common base, within a vertical tubular support post that is mounted on a stand. The multiple-leg display units can be adapted to be mounted on walls, pegboards, slat walls, turntables, or stands with supports for the display units.
A display stand is provided for the display units, particularly the display units having back-to-back legs. The display stand has an elongated base and at least two posts at one end of the base extending upright from the base. The two posts are preferably aligned with the longitudinal axis of the base. As many as six posts, or even more, could be provided all aligned with the longitudinal axis of the base. Suitable connecting mean are provided for detachably connecting the posts to the base and to each other. The back-to-back, two-leg, display units are mounted on the posts using adjustable height standards. The posts could also carry accessories associated with the articles displayed by the display units.
The invention is particularly directed toward a display unit having a relatively long, straight, leg and a plurality of hanger arms extending from one side of the leg, the hanger arms equally spaced apart and parallel to each other. The hanger arms extend at an acute angle to the leg. An article support is provided on each hanger arm, the article support extending transverse to the hanger arm.
The invention is also particularly directed toward a two-leg display unit having a relatively short base, a first relatively long, straight, leg extending from one end of the base and a second relatively long straight leg extending from the other end of the base. Both legs, when the base is horizontal and has a long side facing front, extend downwardly and outwardly from the base to diverge from each other. Each leg has a plurality of equally spaced apart, parallel, hanger arms extending from one side of the leg toward the other leg, the hanger arms parallel with the base.
The invention is further directed toward a display stand having an elongated base and a plurality of post mounting means on the base, the mounting means located adjacent one narrow end of the base. Each mounting means is used to mount a tubular, support post on the base. The stand has at least two support posts with connecting means for mounting the posts in an upright position on the mounting means on the base. A display unit is mounted on at least one of the posts to extend over the base toward the other narrow end of the base. One of a second display unit and an accessory unit is mounted on the second support post.